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Okay, I've got two weeks off... time to jab at the bee's nest before I head out of town. In another thread, the best looking AFV's of WWII were mentioned. What do you guys consider the best/worst lookin' AFV of the Second World War to be? I've always liked the JgdPzIV with the L70 gun. My brother and I used to refer to it as "the Lamborghini" because of it's low and mean profile- the Puma AC and the JSIII are also really cool. On the ugly side I would nominate the British Challenger tank, or the Churchill (Brits had a talent for ugly AFV's, but I'm not an Anglophobe... in fact I still hold a British Passport). Effectiveness isn't an issue - just aesthetic value Pretty shallow huh?

My vote for best looking is the Panther and Tiger. The Panther is just cool to look at - just like my old 69 Mach 1 Mustang used to be! And the Tiger, for some reason I have always felt that it was the minds eye view of a "Tank" in basic form.....

The most ugly tank I can think of was a weird A** Aussie contraption that I fail to remember the name of. Even though the first time I saw a picture of it I swore I would never forget the name of it. The darn thing was like a metal pillbox with tracks!

The Panther!

No really, it has beautiful proportions and a nice looking turret placed just at the right place on the hull, right size (wide!) tracks etc. It looks like a sports tank :p

I also like the front view of a T-34. It looks really mean.
Otherwise, the KV-1 is a really good tank-looking tank as well.

I'd have to say that my favourite looking vehicle is the Tiger.
Not pretty, but there's something about the Butt-ugly menace that it projects.
Worst looking vehicle: KV2, effective but looks like the winner of a "how big a turret can you fit on this chassis" competition.

I've always liked the look of the Hetzer. I know that it's armor is thin and that placing a gun that loads from the right into the right-hand side of a vehicle isn't inspired thinking, but they almost manage to be cute

You people are joking right?

The best looking ride of any war is the Easy8!

why if I could reach my tail pipe I would never leave the house!

M4- an M4 is great looking

I never could decide if I liked the looks of the Staghound w/37mm or the Wolverine better, so I nominate either one. Take your pick.

Originally posted by willy
On the ugly side I would nominate the British Challenger tank, or the Churchill (Brits had a talent for ugly AFV's)

I'd have to agree with you on the earlier British machines, but I think they redeemed themselves with the Centurian (and Chieftain in later years)

As far as really ugly I'd agree with the KV-II posting, or nominate the Italian L6/40 - clunky without the "cuteness" of the Stuart.

Best looking would be a toss-up between the Panther and Konigstiger

I nominate the M-22 Locust for the "Cutest"


http://www.battletanks.com/m22_light_tank.htm

I like the T-34/76. It looks just like a tank is supposed to look.

The KV-2... I wouldn't quite call it ugly.... I can't really describe how I feel about it, but when I want to make someone laugh I usually show them a picture of one.

On the other hand, a rather extreme chapter of the military history of aesthetics can be seen here :

http://www.jed.simonides.org/tanks/tang ... eries.html

I wonder who came up with *that* idea, and what he was smoking... and - of course - if I could have some of it.

to be honest ive always had a weak spot for the pzkw III ,but the jagdpanther looks awsome

Just about any early war Brit tank was "ugly"

Especially the tankette looking ones, over rated reason for machine guns too.

I think the American M-26 Pershing or the German Panzer IV F2 was about the most ideal tank looking tank though.

Its not about sleek lines, its about classic tank looking lines.

Unfortunately, it's post war, but ultimately, the perfect tank shape goes to the Patton series in my opinion.

no one has mentioned t-34/85 yet? shame...
I think it looks even better than /76c

Well, my "cute award" would probably go to the Chaffee.

Originally posted by Belisarius
Well, my "cute award" would probably go to the Chaffee.

Yep "Cute" - but with a really mean streak.

I vote the Panther for looks. In my eye, this is the classic tank profile.

And, after all, this wonderful game is called "Steel Panthers :World at War"

Somehow "Steel Shermans: World at War" just don't cut it ...

cute award?? the french R35

Now come on guys - give the poor sherman a break! I know I am an M4 fan and all but to me the Pershing looked far cooler than most M4's. Notice I said most! Some of them are actualy pretty cool in their own right. Um - lets see, which one comes to mind first?? Got it, are you ready, yep its the Easy 8 all the way!

As far as Shermans go, the later the better... the easy8 is the best of them (unless you include the Israeli "super shermans", not in WWII - but a cool ride). The sand-skirts on any Sherman look dorky (I guess they were usually removed in the field, though) the bigger turret and longer gun (how very Freudian!) of the later models make the earlier ones look a little sad in comparison...however I've always considered the Pershing better looking than the Sherman- not sleek and exotic like the later German AFV's but more workmanlike and brutal looking. The German Neubaufahrzeug prototype heavy tanks sent to Norway in 1940 prove that the Germans could also produce a hideous AFV. Any crewmember would be embarassed to be seen operating it " hey!, are those PzI turrets you got stuck all over you? - looks like you borrowed that suspension from the Tommys!"

Originally posted by willy
Okay, I've got two weeks off... time to jab at the bee's nest before I head out of town. In another thread, the best looking AFV's of WWII were mentioned. What do you guys consider the best/worst lookin' AFV of the Second World War to be

M3/M5 Stuart Light Tank was the best looking. All Cavalrymen have attitudes and this tank showed it. Sorta like a snazzy sports car that *was* that fast and manuverable.